The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1887-06-21
"a pattern to all Princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed"

"a pattern to all Princes living with her,
And all that shall succeed"
-Shaks. Henry VII.
JUST fifty years ago a scene unique
in history was enacted at the little
suburban palace of Kensington, when
the Archbishop of Canterbury and the
Lord Chamberlain, having left the
deathbed of old King William " lat
two o'clock in the morning, arrived at
Kensington at five, and after great
deal of knocking, and ringing, and
humping, succeeded in awakening a
servant who was instructed to inform
the Princess Victoria that they re-
quested an audience on business of
Importance. After a time the Prin
cess personal attendant was fetched,
who said that her mistress was in
such a sweet sleep that she could not
venture to disturb her, to which the
officials replied, 1--WE have come on
business Of State to the Queen, and
even her sleep must give way to that"
it did. and a few minutes later young
girl of eighteen came into the room
in a loose white nightgown and shawl,
her hair hanging upon her shoulders,
her feet in slippers, tears in her eyes,
but perfectly collected and dignitied.
The Prime Minister, Lord Melbourne,
was sent for. and q meeting Of the
Privy Council summoned for eleven
O'Clock, when the Lord Chancellor ad
ministered the usual oaths to the
Queen, and Her Majesty received in
return the oaths of allegiance of the
Cabinet Ministers and other Priyy
Councillors present. ''-JltstiH HeCaftdg.
OF this first council, Sir Robert Peel
said that he was amazed as her man
ner and behavior, at Aer apparent deep
sense Of her situation, and at the same
time her frmness." The Duke Of
Wellington said. IN his blunt way that
IF she had been his own daughter he
could not have desired to see her per-
form her part better"
From that day to this, through the
interval OF half a century, Her Ma
jesty, Queen Victoria has ever shown
forth the same characteristics, firm,
loyal, self-possessed, and above all
bound by her sense Of Duty.
During the short reign OF the
Queens uncle, William ~, some very
important Acts of Parliament were
passed and received the Royal assent.
In 1882 the first great Reform bill
was passed, restricting, on depriving
of the right of sending Representa-
tiyes to Parliament of old, decayed,
deserted boroughs, and allotting their
members to comparatively new but
vastly important communities.
In 1884 slavery terminated in the
British possessions, when over 10000
slaves were set free. Roman Catholics
had been emancipated from all civil
and political disability in 1929.
These great changes introduced a
new order of things.
The country was recovering from
the reaction which followed the great
Napoleonic war, machinery and in
ventions were making vast strides, cap
ital was abundant and readily invested
in productive works. Railways were
constructed but were not entrusted
with mails till 1888. The Penny
post" brought,about by the exertions
of Rowland Hill, was adopted in 1889,
and in 1880 the net revenue turned in
by the Post Office amounted to over
three and three-quarter millions ster
ling. Steamships have grown from
the Great Western of 1888 to the
Great Eastern" of 1858, or the more
useful Cunard ships Etruria and Rome
of Is knots speed.
Just fifty years ago "The magnetic
needle telegraph" was patented by
Messrs. Cooke, Wheatstone and Morse
in America, in the same year, laid his
plans before Congress, and asked for
assistance but without result. The
first submarine cable was laid from
Dover to Calais, by w. Bretts in 1850.
The first transatlantic cable was sue
cessfully laid in 1856 by the "Anglo-
American Telegraph Company, of
which Cyrus w Field was the ener
getic promoter, and Canning, Gooch
and others the constructors.
The now universal screw propeller
was first shown to be practically use
full by Francis P Smith and Jno.
Ericsson.
The great doctrine Of Free Trade
triumphed by the exertions OF Golden
and Jno. Bright IN the abolition of
the Corn laws in 1916.
These are only few illustrations
of immense advances made during
the reign Of Queen Victoria toward
the facilitating the production and
interchange Of the necessities OF civil
liked life.
During 1S4S, when every throne in
Europe was shaken and not few